WITHANIA COAGULANS AND PSIDIUM GUAJAVA- AN OVERVIEW

Abstract

In ancient system of medicine, many plants have been reported to cure various health problems and diseases. Withania coagulans (W. coagulans) Dual commonly known as ‗Indian cheese maker‘ or ‗vegetable rennet‘ belongs to family: Solanaceae and is one of the important medicinal plants. W. coagulans Dunal is a gray-whitish small shrub distributed in east of the Mediterranean region extending to South Asia. It is a common medicinal plant in many parts of Pakistan and India. In Ayurvedic system of medicine, W. coagulans is widely used in diabetic cases. W. coagulans is also used to treat nervous exhaustion, disability, insomnia, wasting diseases, failure to thrive in children and impotence. The active compounds, in particular, withanolides isolated from the plant are considered to have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, hepatoprotective, anti hyperglycemic, cardiovascular, immuno-suppressive, free radical scavenging and central nervous system depressant activities. In the next of our series on Far Eastern plant we look at Guava or Psidium guajava Family: Myrtaceae Common names: Common guava, yellow guava, apple guava. Bayabas, kalimbahin, tayabas, guayabas. Bisayan: Bayabas.In folk medicine, extracts of roots, bark, and leaves are used to treat gastroenteritis, vomiting, diarrhoea, dysentery, wounds, ulcers, toothache, coughs, sore throat, and inflamed gums.